IN ARIANA TAYLOR: Missing from Lake County, IN - 2 April 2022 - Age 23 *Found Deceased*

Lake County, Ind. woman, 23, missing for days after car found crashed off I-80/94

Ariana Taylor was last seen late Saturday night. Her car was found crashed by Gary police early Sunday morning, but no one was inside.

abc7chicago.com

Lake County, Ind. woman, 23, missing for days after car found crashed off I-80/94​

Police and concerned family are searching the area where the crashed car of a woman who was reported missing from Lake County, Ind., was found over the weekend.

Ariana Taylor, 23, went missing in unincorporated Lake County over the weekend. Police initially said she was 24 years old, but later clarified she is 23.

Family and friends said no one has seen or heard from her since late Saturday night.

Kijon Graham, the father of Taylor's 4-year-old son, was part of the search Tuesday, and said he last exchanged texts with her late Saturday night when she told him she would be by in the morning to pick him up. He said at the time she was out with friends at several bars in Valparaiso. He said her friends brought her home to her parents' house where she then insisted in leaving in her own vehicle.


Gary police said early Sunday morning they found her SUV crashed and badly damaged about 1,000 yards off the road in a heavily brush covered area near the junction of I-80/94 and I-65. They said no one was inside.

"Had to be doing 80-plus mile per hour," said Gary Police Commander Jack Hamady. "It did not look like that individual used the brakes at all. Went down into a ravine and came to a stop, and had flat tires. Was she being chased? Was she just intoxicated? We're not sure."

Since the car was empty, investigators can't even be sure Ariana was driving the SUV at the time.

"The keys were not in the vehicle. The second phone that the family says she has we don't have," Hamady said.

"Her bloody blue jean torn pants and allegedly Air Force Ones, it looked like my daughter was being chased off the expressway right there. I'm not even sure if she was driving," said her mother Queena Taylor. "I have a hunch of foul play. I can't speculate and put anything in perspective, but I can say foul play."

Family, Friends Searching for Woman Missing After Gary Crash

Ariana Taylor’s family and friends are desperate and determined to find answers after she was reported missing over the weekend.

www.nbcchicago.com

Family, Friends Searching for Woman Missing After Gary Crash​

Her mother reported her missing after the SUV she was believed to have been driving was found after having crashed down an embankment along Interstate 65 near the border of Lake Station and Gary.

Family members say her wallet, cell phone and keys were missing. They also say some of her bloody clothes were found several feet away from the crash scene, along with a piece of her jewelry.

They were turned over to the Gary Police Department Tuesday evening.

Queena Taylor is Ariana’s mother. She believes foul play is involved in her daughter’s mysterious disappearance.

She also says she has been getting strange calls and messages, which she says she has told authorities about.

ARIANA TAYLOR: Missing from Lake County, IN since 2 April 2022 - Age 23

Ariana Taylor, 23, of Calumet Township, was last heard from late Saturday, Gary police said. The Chevrolet Trailblazer she drives was found crashed in a ravine off Interstate 65, near an overpass for Interstate 80, in Gary on Sunday morning.

www.crimewatchers.net

 

[Kimster]

Where are the strange calls and messages originating?

Another car-crash-person-went-missing case. These baffle me more than any other.

 

[Guess Who]

Where are the strange calls and messages originating?

Another car-crash-person-went-missing case. These baffle me more than any other.

disorientation? foul play? Just two possibilities I can think of right now.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Where are the strange calls and messages originating?

Another car-crash-person-went-missing case. These baffle me more than any other.

They baffle me and bug me because often especially if clothes are shed it is put down to drugs. While I don't deny that can happen, it sometimes seems that is too easily assumed and it is hard to believe when in so many they don't find bodies... Landry. This one. Maybe not a car crash but your Oregon Michael's case they talk of that, etc.

This one seems a bit odd. It is suggested she was home safe but then left. High speed. No clothes or missing some. No body. But has her wallet, phone and keys, aware enough (if not foul play) she was to take those...

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Police seek tips about missing woman's last known whereabouts

Anyone with information about Ariana Taylor's last known whereabouts or who may have been with her is asked to call Detective Sgt. Mark Salazar at 219-881-1209. To remain anonymous, call

www.nwitimes.com

Evidence found at the scene did not lead police to believe that whoever was in the car suffered serious injuries, he said.


Sheriff's police continued to search Monday with their helicopter, and Indiana Department of Natural Resources conservation police assisted on the ground, Hamady said.

Officers have conducted two K-9 tracks in the area where Taylor's SUV was found. One track led police to Deep River, and a dive team was called in to search the water, Hamady said. Officers also searched an area along Clay Street north to 15th Avenue.

In addition to the sheriff's helicopter, Gary police used a drone to search the area near I-65 and I-80, he said. Officers on horseback combed the area Wednesday.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Police seek tips about missing woman's last known whereabouts

Anyone with information about Ariana Taylor's last known whereabouts or who may have been with her is asked to call Detective Sgt. Mark Salazar at 219-881-1209. To remain anonymous, call

www.nwitimes.com

Evidence found at the scene did not lead police to believe that whoever was in the car suffered serious injuries, he said.


Sheriff's police continued to search Monday with their helicopter, and Indiana Department of Natural Resources conservation police assisted on the ground, Hamady said.

Officers have conducted two K-9 tracks in the area where Taylor's SUV was found. One track led police to Deep River, and a dive team was called in to search the water, Hamady said. Officers also searched an area along Clay Street north to 15th Avenue.

In addition to the sheriff's helicopter, Gary police used a drone to search the area near I-65 and I-80, he said. Officers on horseback combed the area Wednesday.

No serious injuries per LE although family mentioned bloody clothing. She took her phone, keys and wallet (presumably she did although a perp could have)... The no serous injuries doesn't really jive with the remarks that the car crashed at a high rate of speed...

To know her wallet, phone and keys were taken with or are missing means someone at home knew she left with at least two of those things or that they aren't at home...

80+ miles per hour, vehicle mangled with fence posts etc. and yet no one inside and now they are saying evidence did not lead police to believe whoever was in the car suffered serious injuries. Not adding up for me at all.

Her son's father says she was drinking and contacted him late that night and her friends he claims dropped her at her parents' but she then insisted on leaving in her own vehicle... Have the friends confirmed this or her parents and did her parents see her...

80+ miles an hour, LE says no braking apparent, fence posts, etc. and bloody clothing but again don't think serious injuries... Oh and ended in a ravine and with flat tires...

It seems to be a second phone that again people must have known she had with that is missing...

From the 2nd link in post #1:

"The 23-year-old was reported missing by her mother Sunday. She was last seen Saturday before heading out on a girl’s night out."

If this still holds true, there is no apparent sighting or proof she was seen after heading out...

They also mention a boyfriend cooperating is this the child's dad? They don't ever say if they have a relationship or not. Did she normally live with her parents? Who saw her last heading out, family, the bf, etc.?

So then in post 5 the recent link says:

"Lake County sheriff's police contacted Taylor's mother Sunday morning, and she told officers she had not heard from Taylor since Saturday night. Taylor's mother contacted the Sheriff's Department later Sunday night to report her daughter missing, Hamady said.

Sheriff's police continued to search Monday with their helicopter, and Indiana Department of Natural Resources conservation police assisted on the ground, Hamady said.

About 11 a.m. Monday, Taylor's mother went to the Gary Police Department to file another missing persons report, police said.

Gary police took jurisdiction of the case Tuesday."

So it sounds like they found the car and the county notified the parents Sunday morning and mom reported her missing to the sheriff's dept. later Sunday night. On Monday, mom went to Gary PD and filed another report and then Gary PD took over... I suppose because her last known sighting was before she went out and that sighting was in the city?

The article also states they want contact with whoever she was out with, etc. so it doesn't even sound confirmed she went out on a girls' night...

Something is most definitely wrong here and the pieces aren't adding up to me at all...

Two possibilities in my mind that are most likely... Both would almost have to involve the car being sent down to crash intentionally with no one in it... That doesn't seem all that likely either but nothing else adds up.... The clothing if hers and clothing she was wearing is downright odd... And yet LE doesn't seem to think any driver was seriously injured...

I'm not saying what my thoughts are but they lead me mostly to one thought but close behind it is a second thought... Neither involves her lost or confused after a car crash... I don't know of course, just pulling together what is here that has been said in articles, by LE, etc.

I'm just putting out here the things said in articles or PCs or on TV and how they don't seem to add up... Curious too what others think...

Back to post #1, in the video the mom talks as if her daughter is being held hostage.

Finally, IF the clothing is Ariana's and IF it was what she was wearing, then she herself or someone else undressed her and left or placed the clothing there...

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Ariana Taylor case: Search continues for Gary mother missing for 6 days

Gary police say they have conducted foot, helicopter, K9 and ATV searches to no avail. Six days later, there’s still no sign of 23-year-old Ariana Taylor.

www.fox32chicago.com

Ariana Taylor case: Search continues for Gary mother missing for 6 days​

Gary police say they have conducted foot, helicopter, K9 and ATV searches to no avail. Six days later, there’s still no sign of 23-year-old Ariana Taylor.

"In my mind, my heart and soul, I want her to be alive so I could get her back to health," said Queen Taylor, Ariana's mother.

Search efforts are now attracting volunteers, mostly strangers from Chicago, Indianapolis, Gary and Merrillville.

"It’s a blessing to pull help from all over the area," said search coordinator Kevin Collins.


Family members say she’d gone to have drinks with two friends Saturday evening. Those friends sharing with the father of Taylor’s 4-year-old son that they had dropped her off at her mother’s house, but then Taylor left.

With sticks in hand, volunteers combed through the woods for clues. Gary’s mayor stopped by to offer his support to the family.

Her grieving mother, more than anything, was thinking about her 4-year-old grandson and the possibility of him growing up motherless.

Queen Taylor begs for anyone that knows something about her daughter’s disappearance to speak up.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Ariana Taylor case: Search continues for Gary mother missing for 6 days

Gary police say they have conducted foot, helicopter, K9 and ATV searches to no avail. Six days later, there’s still no sign of 23-year-old Ariana Taylor.

www.fox32chicago.com

Ariana Taylor case: Search continues for Gary mother missing for 6 days​

Gary police say they have conducted foot, helicopter, K9 and ATV searches to no avail. Six days later, there’s still no sign of 23-year-old Ariana Taylor.

"In my mind, my heart and soul, I want her to be alive so I could get her back to health," said Queen Taylor, Ariana's mother.

Search efforts are now attracting volunteers, mostly strangers from Chicago, Indianapolis, Gary and Merrillville.

"It’s a blessing to pull help from all over the area," said search coordinator Kevin Collins.


Family members say she’d gone to have drinks with two friends Saturday evening. Those friends sharing with the father of Taylor’s 4-year-old son that they had dropped her off at her mother’s house, but then Taylor left.

With sticks in hand, volunteers combed through the woods for clues. Gary’s mayor stopped by to offer his support to the family.

Her grieving mother, more than anything, was thinking about her 4-year-old grandson and the possibility of him growing up motherless.

Queen Taylor begs for anyone that knows something about her daughter’s disappearance to speak up.

Does the mother confirm she was dropped off there and left? Or maybe the mom was asleep but assumes she was since they did find her car. Just wondering what is actually verifiable.

 

[Guess Who]

Does the mother confirm she was dropped off there and left? Or maybe the mom was asleep but assumes she was since they did find her car. Just wondering what is actually verifiable.

Good question!

 

[GrandmaBear]

Good question!

Thanks. It just seems to be missing. The mother is vocal and wants to find her but never remarks on knowing whether the friends dropped her off or not. That I've noticed anyhow. I also wonder if she lived at her mom's or with the child's father and was it typical for her to be dropped at her parents'/mother's. Although I guess her car would have had to be there if she took it.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

https://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/nation-world/national/article260305770.html

‘Body’ found in search for missing mom was not what it seemed, Indiana officials say

As authorities in northwest Indiana search for a missing 23-year-old mother, a grim discovery prompted an investigation on Sunday, April 10, from police and the coroner’s office.

But it turned out to be a false alarm, as officials discovered the “body” was not a real person, according to media reports.

Police in Gary said the investigation revealed the “body” found in a grassy area was actually a “life-sized silicone/rubber type female doll,” WFLD reported.

Lake County Coroner David J. Pastrick described the discovery as a “lifelike mannequin,” a Chicago Tribune columnist reported.

The mannequin was spotted not far from where Ariana Taylor’s vehicle was found crashed into a ravine on April 3, the Northwest Indiana Times reported. Taylor has been missing since the discovery of her vehicle.

 

[GrandmaBear]

https://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/nation-world/national/article260305770.html

‘Body’ found in search for missing mom was not what it seemed, Indiana officials say

As authorities in northwest Indiana search for a missing 23-year-old mother, a grim discovery prompted an investigation on Sunday, April 10, from police and the coroner’s office.

But it turned out to be a false alarm, as officials discovered the “body” was not a real person, according to media reports.

Police in Gary said the investigation revealed the “body” found in a grassy area was actually a “life-sized silicone/rubber type female doll,” WFLD reported.

Lake County Coroner David J. Pastrick described the discovery as a “lifelike mannequin,” a Chicago Tribune columnist reported.

The mannequin was spotted not far from where Ariana Taylor’s vehicle was found crashed into a ravine on April 3, the Northwest Indiana Times reported. Taylor has been missing since the discovery of her vehicle.

This case has something wrong with it.

Claims by friends and family don't seem to be confirmed at all in any way, shape or form by LE. Now if I understand it correctly, this was not even her car but per someone, she was the last one who was to have had it or be in it or something on that order.... Friends say they dropped her off and she left her mother's and no one confirms this. Mother says she is missing, bloody clothes of hers were found, etc... LE said no indication who was driving was seriously injured yet car was at high rate of speed...?

Now a mannequin...? I almost thought at points before hearing this that maybe this was a hoax of some kind and now I am really wondering... Isn't a second phone or something missing but not the other one...

I don't know. I pray as always this woman is safe but there isn't anything so far that convinces me she was in the car or had an accident on her own... IF it even was one...

Her mother thinks or said it was foul play in her opinion and maybe it was...

I'm convinced of nothing though... There really isn't any reason to be...

 

[Kimster]

Human remains found in Gary, Indiana Wednesday morning were identified as missing mother Ariana Taylor, police announced.


In a press conference Wednesday, Gary Police Department Cmdr. Jack Hamady said the body was found at around in a "shallow drainage ditch" behind a fence at around 9 a.m. in the of 2100 block of Colorado Street amid a K9 search.


Though her identity was not immediately known, the body was identified at Taylor in subsequent hours, Hamady said.


Hamady noted that there is no current search for suspects and no current threat to the public.


Due to the ongoing death investigation, police would not comment whether or not foul play could be involved.

Remains Found in Gary Identified as Missing Mother Ariana Taylor

Human remains found in Gary, Indiana Wednesday morning were identified as missing mother Ariana Taylor, police announced.

www.nbcchicago.com

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

If I have the landmarks right, this appears to be very very close to where her vehicle crashed.

I feel like in 99% of cases where people are missing from a crashed vehicle, they likely survived the initial crash but sustained some injuries / head injury and wander away from the crash site seeking help (or just not directly aware of what they're doing). For some reason, people tend to go very "conspiracy theory" in these cases (Jason Landry, Maura Murray), but I tend to think that the most likely answer is the easy explanation. Of course there's always the chance that something else other than that happened, but the area around the crash site is the most likely place to hold answers IMO. (Not saying that this or similar cases shouldn't be fully investigated, of course.)

Sorry to see this outcome.

 

[Guess Who]

If I have the landmarks right, this appears to be very very close to where her vehicle crashed.

I feel like in 99% of cases where people are missing from a crashed vehicle, they likely survived the initial crash but sustained some injuries / head injury and wander away from the crash site seeking help (or just not directly aware of what they're doing). For some reason, people tend to go very "conspiracy theory" in these cases (Jason Landry, Maura Murray), but I tend to think that the most likely answer is the easy explanation. Of course there's always the chance that something else other than that happened, but the area around the crash site is the most likely place to hold answers IMO. (Not saying that this or similar cases shouldn't be fully investigated, of course.)

Sorry to see this outcome.

Being in a wreck, even uninjured, is disorienting by itself. I can see this happening easily if there was a head injury of any kind. Now add to it being night and the person also being under the influence...

 

[GrandmaBear]

If she was found near the car general area, then I agree. I do think however it still bears investigation and cause of death naturally. There certainly also are questions pertaining to that night. Was she dropped off, did she leave, whose car was it, etc.

I think the problem with some of them like Murray, Landry, etc. is for one, they ae often somewhere unexpected such as wrong road, out of state, etc. Add to that whether something was even a serious crash. In this case here, cops just said was it last week that there was noting to indicate whoever was driving had any life threatening injuries. It didn't make much sense when hearing of bloody clothing and it still doesn't. And then quite often there is the question of something like their phone and where is it or some such...

This case is different as they found a body. Landry and Murray haven't been found. How far did these critically injured people walk? Not so sure that it is people wanting conspiracy so much as wanting answers to things that don't make sense.

If a car crashes and the windshield is busted and you find a body a few feet away with cuts all over the face, etc., then it would seem the person died in the cash. Purse and phone still in the car maybe. Makes sense. On a road at the right time/route to work. Makes sense.

Just thoughts. Anyhow, sad news, I was actually hoping in this one maybe, just maybe she took off and something was somehow staged but I really didn't believe that either

 

[Guess Who]

If she was found near the car general area, then I agree. I do think however it still bears investigation and cause of death naturally. There certainly also are questions pertaining to that night. Was she dropped off, did she leave, whose car was it, etc.

I think the problem with some of them like Murray, Landry, etc. is for one, they ae often somewhere unexpected such as wrong road, out of state, etc. Add to that whether something was even a serious crash. In this case here, cops just said was it last week that there was noting to indicate whoever was driving had any life threatening injuries. It didn't make much sense when hearing of bloody clothing and it still doesn't. And then quite often there is the question of something like their phone and where is it or some such...

This case is different as they found a body. Landry and Murray haven't been found. How far did these critically injured people walk? Not so sure that it is people wanting conspiracy so much as wanting answers to things that don't make sense.

If a car crashes and the windshield is busted and you find a body a few feet away with cuts all over the face, etc., then it would seem the person died in the cash. Purse and phone still in the car maybe. Makes sense. On a road at the right time/route to work. Makes sense.

Just thoughts. Anyhow, sad news, I was actually hoping in this one maybe, just maybe she took off and something was somehow staged but I really didn't believe that either

It 100% should still be investigated to rule out anything but an accident by misadventure.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Death of Gary woman found in drainage ditch ruled an accident: autopsy

Ariana Taylor’s body was found in a drainage ditch near the interstate Wednesday morning, more than a mile south from where her vehicle was found crashed April 3.

chicago.suntimes.com

Death of Gary woman found in drainage ditch ruled an accident: autopsy​

Officials have released the autopsy results for Ariana Taylor, a 23-year-old woman reported missing in early April whose body was found earlier this week in a drainage ditch.

Taylor’s death was caused by trauma from a motor vehicle accident complicated by drowning, the Lake County coroner’s office announced Thursday.

Other results are pending, according to the office. Her death was ruled an accident.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Death of Gary woman found in drainage ditch ruled an accident: autopsy

Ariana Taylor’s body was found in a drainage ditch near the interstate Wednesday morning, more than a mile south from where her vehicle was found crashed April 3.

chicago.suntimes.com

Death of Gary woman found in drainage ditch ruled an accident: autopsy​

Officials have released the autopsy results for Ariana Taylor, a 23-year-old woman reported missing in early April whose body was found earlier this week in a drainage ditch.

Taylor’s death was caused by trauma from a motor vehicle accident complicated by drowning, the Lake County coroner’s office announced Thursday.

Other results are pending, according to the office. Her death was ruled an accident.

These things bother some, at least for me. I'm not saying the ruling isn't right or couldn't be right but still have some questions. From the article:

Police initially said it was not possible that she had floated between locations. Are they now saying she did after saying she couldn't have? Not clear on this.

At the time her car was found, police said they were investigating the crash as a hit-and-run. Was it or are they now saying it wasn't?

On Sunday, police said they had found a body in a grassy area, but clarified later that the body was actually a life-size silicone doll. Definitely odd...

Again I'm not saying they don't have it right but there are these and other questions that publicly haven't been answered and I wonder if they have been answered for the family as well. Why did they think it was a hit and run? Why are they sure now it wasn't? Someone did allegedly drop her off and she left, why? They initially said high rate of speed, was someone chasing her or a hit and run?

I'm just saying if I was her parent or a relative that these things would bother me unless answered and evidence proves things or disproves them. And not just the cause of death but what happened that night, to cause the accident, etc.